Electric lantern



Nov. 14, 1950 BROSHEARS ELECTRIC LANTERN 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 15, 1946 INVENTOR. Zee BrosZears ATI'D R N EYE Nov. 14, 1950 L. BROSHEARS ELECTRIC LANTERN 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 15, 1946 'm). mm @m I fl- INVENTOR. Lee Broshea r5 ATTD RNEYB Patented Nov. 14, 1950 UNITED STATES *PATE-NT' OFFICE ELECTRIC LANTERN Lee Broshears, Fowler, Ind. Application May 15, 1946, Serial No. 669,934

2 Claims. (Cl. 24010.63)

My present invention relates to an improved yellow, or green, or'any combination thereof may,

be shown to conform to standard'railroad signals together with the white lamps if desired. An especial object of my invention is to so construct the additional lamps that when not illuminated,

the lamps are retracted into their respective housings so that no reflection of colored light is possible when only the white lamps are being used. Such reflections would be dangerous and if the reflection were strong enough, the signals might be misread.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated one complete example of the physical embodiment of my invention according to the best mode I have thus far devised but it will be understood that various changes and alterations may be made in the exemplified structure within the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational View of a conventional lamp showing sections of the three lamps and tubes of my invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof.

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the lamp partially broken away to show the battery and switch of the conventional lamp.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the three lamps.

Figure 5 is a partial side elevational View showing one of my three lamps extruded Figure 6 is a diagrammatic view of the electrical circuit.

Figure 7 is a partial elevational view showing the lamps of my invention with the retaining clips.

Figure 8 is a vertical sectional view of one tube with the lamp extended to circuit closing position.

Figure 9 is a top plan view of the fixed cylinder showing the contacts therein.

Figure 10 is a partial elevational view of one tube in retracted position.

Figure 11 is a horizontal sectional View ta en at line I l-l l of Figure 10; and

Figure 12 is a: detail view of the latch clip and the notched strip on the fixed cylinder.

Figure 13 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view taken on a plane similar to the plane on which Figure 8 is taken and to show insulation about the contacts.

Referring now to the'drawings wherein like characters indicate like parts, I have illustrated a conventional electric'lamp' having a housing 2, a lower wire frame 4 and a handle 6. Interior of the housing is the usual dry cell or battery 8, and the usual two white lamp bulbs it and I2 are connected through the single switch 44 by wires I6 and land connectors 25? and 22. Coil springs 24 insure proper contact between the connectors and the battery.

Exterior of the housing 2 I have provided a support 26 of suitable shape and design secured to the housing as by rivets 28, and the support is fashioned with three vertical openings therein as 39, each opening of which is provided with a flange 32. Electrical contacts 34 and 35 are provided diametrically opposite on the flange. Insulation 35' is provided about the contacts 34 and 35 to insulate the same from the support 26.

A cylinder 36 is fixedly secured within each opening abutting insulation 35 above the contacts and a cap 38 formed With spaced cylindrical walls 48 and 42 is adapted for sliding engagement with the fixed cylinder, the cylinder being located between the said spaced walls.

A notched strip 44 is fashioned on the exterior of the cylinder 36 and latching means is provided including the spring clip 46 riveted as at 4'5 to the wall 42, and a lug 48 on the spring clip operates through the opening 50 in the wall 42 to frictionally and successively secure the cap in adjusted position with relation to the fixed cylinder.

The inner cylinder wall 40 is substantially longer than the outer wall 42 and the lower end thereof is closed by a disk having a collar 54. The collar 54 is fashioned with a threaded opening 56 for the reception of the lamp bulb 58 and extending from this collar on opposite sides thereof are the connectors 60 and '62 electrically contacting the contacts 34 and 35 when the cap is pushed downwardly as shown in Fig. 8 in the drawings. One contact 60 engages the side of the lamp base, while the other contact 62 engages the terminal of the base to effect illumination of the filament when contact is made.

Wires B4 and 66 provide the electrical circuit to the battery 8. and while I have referred above to a single fixed cylinder with its cap and electrical connections, it will be understood that the three lamp housings shown are identical and the characters refer to the three elements.

In use, red, yellow and green lamp bulbs are employed in the three collars and to illuminate any lamp it is only necesary to push the cap downward whereupon the bulb will be extruded from the confines of the fixed cylinder and the opening in the support 26 and the extruded lamp will at once be in Visible position and will be illuminated. To extinguish the bulb the cap is pushed upward against the tension of the spring clips engaging the notched strips and the circuit will be broken.

The advantages of this construction will be obvious wherein the unused colored lamp bulbs are confined within the cylinder and no possibility of reflection exists. The lamps are instantly ready for use, and the signals may be changed at will.

Having thus fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A portable electric signal lamp comprising a housing, lamps extending from the bottom of the housing, a support partially surrounding, and secured to one side of the housing, and said support being provided with vertically extending openingstherein, and the bottom of said support extending into the opening to form an annular flange for the opening, contacts insulatingly connected to the support and extending into the opening and contacts insulatingly connected to the flange, a cylinder disposed above the contacts within the opening and extending upwardly and outwardly of the opening, a cap having spaced cylindrical walls adapted to be placed over the cylinder and have sliding engagement with the cylinder, the cap having a lamp bulb socket portion, contact terminals extending through the portion and adapted to respectively engage with the contacts supported by said flange as the cap is moved downwardly, to energize the lamp bulb within the socket portion, and means for retaining the cap in an elevated position whereby to confine the lamp bulb within the opening of the support and out of view and electrically disengaged from the contacts on the flange, an electric source within the housing and connectors extending from the contacts of the support into the housing for connection with the electric source.

2. A portable electric signal lamp as defined in claim 1, and said contacts being of arcuate shape to fit above the opening and insulation extending between opposing ends of the contacts, and between the contacts and the flange and the surrounding wall of the support.

LEE BROSHEARS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,295,567 Murphy Feb. 25, 1919 1,532,935 Patton Apr. 7, 1925 1,699,710 Pearlman Jan. 22, 1929 1,719,050 Freeman July 2, 1929 

